Electric circuit switch



Oct. 27, 1925- N. LEMLYN' ELECTRIC CIRCUIT SWITCH FiledJune 24. 1924 3Shts-Sheet 2 INVBNT 13R.

NI ECILHS LEMLYN Oct. 27, 1925 N. LEMLYN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT sw1rcn Filed June 24. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 27, 1925.

UNITED STATES NICOLAS LEMLYN, OF BRUSSELS, BELGIM.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT SWITCH.

Application filel {In-ne 24, 1924. Serial No. 722,143.

circuit switches and has or its object to pro *ide a -device of this cha 1acter ivhereby electric circuits may be closed and broken by qnick movements ofmovbie contacts, so as to reduce the prejndiciai effects of sparking.

My invention relates more particnlarly t0 devices in which the movabie contacts are urged to be moved suddeniy by means of springs tensioned as the operating member of the device is displaced.

A urther object of my invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, whereby a quick and reliabie operation in both directions Will be secnred.

To this end the springs mentioned above are arranged symmetrically with relation to said contacts so that similar phenomena Will be produced as the operating member is moved in both directions of operation.

In order to obtain a quick displacement of the cross piece nsually snpporting the movable contacts, said cross-piece will be held in its end positions by means of pawls pivoted on a stationary part of the device and disengaged by said operating member after the springs have been tensioned.

To this end said pawls are urged by means of springs towards the cross-piecc.

The same are provided With inclines whereby the cross-piece Will be enabied to tilt the same against the action of said springs as the cross-piece approaches its end positions. In order to avoid any jamming, the said movabie cross-piece is guided lateraily on the stationary part of the device and inside the same by means of rods made integral with the operating member whereby said movabie cross-piece is moved.

In the accompanying drawings I have i1- lnstrated by way of example onc form of my present invention. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional perspective view of the device, the parts being in their npper end positions.

Fig. 2 shows the parts of Fig. 1 on the1r 1ower end positions.

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the device on line IIIIII 01 Fig. 1.

It will ibe seen from the accompanying drawings that the -device comprises a movabie frame and a stationary 'rame.

Tire movbie frame is formed of rods 1 connected at their ends by means 0 1 crossbars 2 and 3. The cross-bar 3 is rigidly connected by means oat nprights 4: to a pivotal connection 5 whereby the movements of au. lever (not shown) Will be transmitted to the movable frame :so -that the latte-r Wiil fulfil the =fnnction of theoperating member of the device.

The stationary rame is formed of up rights 6 connected together oy means of cross-bars 7 and S, cach of W:hich carries -fixed contacts.

i\oreover the movab1e rame has a movable cross-bar 10 snpporting movable contacts 11 and adapted to b moved suddenly by means of springs tensioned by the movement of the movable -trame.

In order to obtain sndden interruption in both directions of operation, the springs 12 and 18 are arranged synnnetrically with relation to the movabie cross-bar 10 so as to obtain similar phenomena as the frame is moved upwardly and downwardiy.

In order to hold the cross bar 10 in its end positions as the spring is being tensionecL pawls 14 and 14 are pivoted on the stationary trame, said pawls being urged by springs 15 so that the noses 16 and 16 thereof Will have tendency to engage said cross-bar. From the foregoing it will be seen that if the movable frame is moved downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 12 heid between the cross-bar 10 locked by means of the noses 16 of the paWis 14 and the cross-bar 3, Will be compressed or tensioned and urge the said crossbar 10 downwardiy. As this movement is taking place, the ends of said cross-bar 3 Will engage th shonlders 17 of the pawls 14 so as to cause the same to tilt, whereby the cross-bar 10 Will be released. Thus the latter Wiil be snddenly moved downwardly by means of the spring 12.

The contact which was closed previonsiy betWeen the movable contacts 11 and stationary contacts 18 (Fig. 3) Will be broken. However in the lower end position a contact Wiil be closed between the stationary contacts 19 and movabie contacts 11.

As the crossbar 10 is thus being moved, it

W111 engage the inclnes or cam portions 20 of the noS s of the pawls so as to space the same against the action of the sprngs 15.

In order to avoid any jamming of the cross-bar 10 as it is being moved, the same s guided by a central rod 21 serving to guide the sp1ings 12 and 13 and moreover by means o-f the rods 1. Furtherm0re the ends 22 thereof are guided by uprghts 6, arranged in pairs so as to form slots in Which sad ends 22 of the movable cross-bar 10 W111 be moved.

It Will be obvious that the sprngs 12 and 13 may, by any conventional means, be secured to the elements against which they are described as bearng, thus making these springs both tension and compression in ther action. As any securing means may be employed, t is not believed necessary to illustrate any partcular means.

7Having now fully desci*ibed my said invention, what I daim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an electrc switch, a fixed f1a1ne carrying a contact, a movable frame s1idab1y guided in the fixed frame, a rod fixed in the movabIe frame, a movable contact member slidably mounted on sad rod and shdably guded in the movable :Erame, pawls carried by the fixed frame and adapted to engage the movable contact in its respective operative positions, springs on sad 1od and he1d between the movab1e contact and the movable frame, and means mounted in the fixed frame for limiting the opening movement of the pawls.

2. In an electric switch, a fixed frame carrying a contact, a movab1e frame slidably guided in the fixed frame, a rod fixed in the movable frame, a movab1e contact member slidab1y mounted on said rod and shdably guided in the movable trame, pawls carried by the fixed frame and adapted to engage the movable contact in its respective operative positions, springs on said rod and held between the movab1e contact and the movable frame, means mounted in the fixed frame for limiting the opening movement of the paw1s, and means carred by the movable rame to rock the paw1s t0 release positions at the limit of movement of such frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

NICOLAS LEMLYN. 

